In the News
“Our community at large has a massive structural problem with homelessness and there are not enough place to sleep and eat,” explained Rev. Stephen McHale. “This is a little band-aid on a symptom of a massive problem, but it’s what we can do so we’re trying it.”
“The shelters are a community effort, both in terms of donations and volunteer help. Episcopal Community Services provides overnight staff, the City provides two-thirds of the funding required to keep it going, Christ Church raises the remaining one-third of the funding from donations and coordinates meals and showers. Next Level Painting prepped the shelter at no cost.”
“Each day, ECS and our partners in the nonprofit and government sectors offer housing and supportive services to thousands of San Franciscans experiencing homelessness, with great success — more than 95% of ECS’ 1,800 supportive housing residents remain housed year over year, permanently ending homelessness for the overwhelming majority of those we serve.”
Read ECS Executive Director Beth Stokes’ full SF Examiner op-ed.
“San Francisco Mayor London N. Breed unveiled the new Diva Hotel yesterday, a redeveloped facility supplying 122 homes for adults transitioning out of homelessness. The endeavor is a cooperative venture between the city and Episcopal Community Services (ECS), with funding from California’s Homekey program, as stated in the City and County of San Francisco announcement.”
“1064 Mission Street is one of San Francisco’s largest permanent supportive housing communities. Developed by Mercy Housing California and Episcopal Community Services of San Francisco (ECS), it features 256 affordable homes in a service-enriched environment, with residents having access to on-site clinical, case management, and in-home care services.
“What makes 1064 Mission Street so unique is the unprecedented level of partnership between government at the federal, state, and local levels, nonprofits, and the community in its acquisition, development, and operations,” says ECS executive director Beth Stokes. “… We hope that this innovative service model can be replicated throughout other projects across the United States.””
“Starting in April 2020, The City leveraged funding from California’s Project Roomkey — launched by Gov. Gavin Newsom in March 2020 to help cities to open non-congregate shelter options during the pandemic — to secure hotel rooms and offer them as shelter to people experiencing homelessness. The program rapidly expanded to more than 20 sites, amounting to an unprecedented expansion of The City’s shelter network.”
‘Game changer’: New S.F. homeless housing gives hope, but thousands still live in dilapidated hotels
“San Francisco’s newest permanent supportive housing building is now home to 256 of the city’s most vulnerable, who can get much-needed mental health support, job training and community events on-site. It’s an example of what can happen when city resources and political will align.”
“A ribbon cutting ceremony was held Wednesday outside 1064 Mission Street, to inaugurate the opening of the city’s largest permanent supportive housing building.“
“In this episode we feature the voices of the executive director of the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing for the City and County of San Francisco, Shireen McSpadden, the Manager of Housing Subsidy Programs at the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing, Alan Guttirez along with a participant in the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing Flex Housing Pool program Jugal Patel as well as the Executive Director of Episcopal Community Services of San Francisco, Beth Stokes.”
Housing can get built quickly and affordably in San Francisco, if stakeholders come together. In an article about new housing overcoming red tape in the City, the San Francisco Standard featured 1064 and 1066 Mission Street, ECS’ brand new development in cooperation with Mercy Housing. The only one of the featured sites dedicated fully to Permanent Supportive Housing, the Standard notes the services available on site as well as the modular construction model that sped up construction.